Police chief reports near-full staffing and new patrol tech plans; council hears evidence facility needs

Police Chief (speaker 14) said April 14 that the department has made progress on staffing and training and previewed near-term equipment and facility needs.

"We are up to 3 officers and a sergeant on day shift," the chief said, describing current daily staffing and adding that swing and night shifts have expanded. He said the department recently shrank overtime through operational changes and increased cooperation with partner agencies but still needs tools to keep officers productive while in the field.

On technology, the chief described a one-time purchase request for mobile computers to write reports in the field and connect to the records-management system: "It's about a $35,000 one time cost," he said, and stated the purchase can be accommodated within his existing budget this year. The chief also asked the council for preauthorization to get on vehicle preorder lists to avoid multi-month delays in receiving marked patrol cars.

Facility needs included a new evidence facility; the chief said funding is partially identified and staff will continue to work on completing that project. He also described plans to expand the detective bureau (one senior and two junior detectives) to improve case follow-up and reduce dropped investigations.

Why it matters: staffing and equipment decisions directly affect patrol coverage and response times. The chief tied staffing decisions to strategies for reducing overtime and increasing proactive patrols in parks, downtown and Southside neighborhoods.

Next steps: the chief will return with a more detailed equipment authorization for council consideration and an item to preauthorize vehicle preorders at a subsequent council meeting.